George Zimmerman trial prosecution witness Rachel Jeantel has responded to Rush Limbaugh's controversial statements on her use of the word "n—-a" during a "Piers Morgan" interview.
On his Monday radio show, Limbaugh said that Jeantel had somehow given everyone a free pass to use the word "n—a" when she told Piers Morgan that n—a could refer to "any kind of male."
"So, n—a with an 'a' on end. Well, I think I can now. Isn't that the point? Because it's not racist!" Limbaugh gleefully exclaimed, adding that since it can refer to any race, he could go ahead and use it on "a Chinese male, a guy at the laundromat."
Also read: Why Does Rush Limbaugh Even Want to Say the N-Word?
Asked by HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill for her response, Jeantel said: "When you say it out loud in person, in front of people, that's disrespectful. N—er is, I'm not gonna say my kinda way, it is racist for an adult. Why teenagers use it? I don't know."
Hill asked: "Does it matter whether the adult is black or white?" "Yes!" said Jeantel. Hill followed up: "When you heard Rush Limbaugh say it just then, did it feel racist to you?"
"Well, yes," Jeantel said, laughing; "But I can't judge him."
Also read: Zimmerman Trial Witness Rachel Jeantel Calls Verdict 'BS' During Piers Morgan Interview
Jeantel elaborated, saying that the n-word (be it with the "a" or the "er") is a "cuss word" and shouldn't be said out loud in the first place (as, she said, is "cracker").
"That's how teenagers talk," she said. Teenagers. Not Rush Limbaugh, who, at 62 years old, is a good 44 years past teenager status.
Another radio host, Tom Joyner, had a much different reponse to Jeantel's, offering her a scholarship to help her attend "the historically black college or university of your choice" and support for her to pursue her GED.
Jeantel initially said she didn't know who Rush Limbaugh even was. "He ain't nobody you need to know," HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill said.